Skipping toy



Jan. 11, 1966 F. CLAWSON, JR

SKIPPING TOY Filed April 13, 1964 INVENTOR. LEWIS F. CLAWSON,JR.

Madam United States Patent 3,228,684 SKIPPING TOY Lewis F. Clawson, Jr., Campo, Calif. (730 Golden Park Ave., San Diego, Calif.) Filed Apr. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 359,285 6 Claims. (Cl. 272-57) The present invention relates generally to toys and more particularly to a toy which will provide exercise and entertainment for children while skipping or hopping.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved skipping toy which, when in use, will flip from one position to another.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved skipping toy that, when once adjusted and placed on a supporting surface, can be continuously used without further adjustment.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved skipping toy that can be folded into a compact unit for storage or transport.

Finally it is an object to provide a skipping toy of the aforementioned character which is simple and convenient to use and which will give generally efficient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawing, which forms a material part of this disclosure, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one modification of the skipping toy;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view illustrating the use of the toy;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view further illustrating the operation;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view on a reduced scale of one modification; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 4 of a further modification of the invention.

In its simplest form the skipping toy is indicated generally in FIGURE 1 by the reference numeral 10. It comprises a pair of arms 12 and 14 extending generally normal to each other and connected by a center post 16. The outer tips of arms 12 and 14 have end posts 20 and 22, respectively, which extend in opposite directions and are generally parallel to each other and to center post 16, and substantially equal in length to the center post. End posts 18 and 20 may, if desired, be provided with resilient caps 22 and 24 respectively. It is preferable to form the toy of steel wire of a suitable diameter and length to retain its shape after extended use. This tips 22 and 24 may be constructed of rubber or a suitable plastic.

The operation of the improved skipping toy can best be understood with reference to FIGURES 2 and 3. The shape of the toy is such that, when placed on a horizontal supporting surface, such as a floor or the ground 26, one of the arms 12 or 14 will rest on the supporting surface and the other arm will be supported above and generally parallel to the supporting surface by the center post 16 and the corresponding end post 18 or 20. In FIGURE 2 arm 14 is shown in solid lines resting on the supporting surface. It will now be seen that if foot F is brought to bear on arm 12 and pressure is exerted, the toy will rock through 180 as indicated by the arrows 30 to a final position as shown in the dot-dash lines in which the arm 14 is now in the position spaced above the supporting surface and the arm 12 is in the position resting on the supporting surface.

FIGURE 3 illustrates in plan view the progressive positions of the toy when used by a child in the act of skipping. The position of the right foot only is shown, it being understood that the left foot is positioned a distance to the left thereof such as not to interfere with the action of the toy. The positions of the toy as it is advanced during play are shown as A, B, and C.

In the position A the arm 12 is initially positioned above the supporting surface and the arm 14 rests on the supporting surface. The childs first jump will bring the right foot down on the arm 12 in the position shown in A. The toy will then be flipped over to the position shown in B and the arm 12 will be resting on the supporting surface under the right foot. The next jump will be made with a twisting motion of the body through an arc of to the left as shown by arrow 32. The foot will be brought down on the elevated arm 14 and the toy will be flipped to the positions shown in C. This procedure may be continued and with each jump the child will twist his or her body through an arc of 90. Any number of children can play and variations in play are only limited by the imagination of the children.

FIGURE 4 discloses a modification of the invention which is especially adapted for ease of storage or transportation. In place of an integral center post arm 14 is provided with a post 34 extending normal thereto and arm 12 is provided with a post 36 also extending normal thereto. These posts 34 and 36 are positioned adjacent each other and surrounded by a rubber or plastic sleeve 38. This forms a pivot or hinged joint so that the arm 12 may be swung to the position shown in the dotted lines to form a compact unit when not in use.

FIGURE 5 discloses a somewhat simplified version of the basic concept disclosed herein. In this form the end posts 18 and 20 have been omitted leaving the center post 40 with the arms 42 and 44 extending from opposite ends thereof. The exposed ends of arms 42 and 44 may, if desired, be covered with resilient caps 46 and 48, respectively, which are similar to those shown in the other modifications. The operation of this form of the invention is substantially the same as previously described. When positioned on a supporting surface, one of the arms, for example the arm 42, will rest on this surface while the other arm will be inclined slightly due to the fact that the outer posts have been omitted. It is to be understood that the center post 40 of this modification may be constructed, as an alternative, as a pivoted or hinged joint similar to that shown in FIGURE 4.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and drawings are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

1. A skipping toy comprising:

a one piece integral wire unit having a center post;

and a pair of arms each one extending normal to the other from opposite ends of said center post, each of said arms being longer than said center post.

2. The structure of claims 1 further including resilient caps covering the ends of said arms.

3. A skipping toy comprising:

a center post;

a pair of arms each one extending normal to the other from opposite ends of said center post, each of said arms being longer than said center post with said arms including resilient caps covering their ends, and said center post comprising a hinge having an axis substantially perpendicular to said arms whereby said arms may be pivoted to collapse the toy so that said arms are substantially parallel to each other.

4. A skipping toy comprising:

a center post;

a pair of arms extending normal to each other from References Cited by the Examiner opposite ends of said center post; UNITED STATES PATENTS the tips of said arms having end posts extending parallel to and on the same side thereof as said center 822; post and substantially equal in length to said center 5 t FOREIGN PATENTS 5. The structure of claim 4 further including resilient 641,123 5/1962 Canada.

caps covering the end posts. 999,526 10/ 1951 France.

6. The structure of claim 5 in which said center post 952,026 3/1964 Great Britain. comprises a hinge whereby said arms may be pivoted to 10 collapse the toy so that said arms are substantially paral- RICHARD PINKHAM Primary Exammer' lel and the end posts are adjacent each other. A. W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SKIPPING TOY COMPRISING: A ONE PIECE INTEGRAL WIRE UNIT HAVING A CENTER POST; AND A PAIR OF ARMS EACH ONE EXTENDING NORMAL TO THE OTHER FORM OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID CENTER POST, EACH OF SAID ARMS BEING LONGER THAN SAID CENTER POST. 